The purpose of this research is to explain the smoking behavior of children by an application of utility theory. The child's utility structure is hypothesized to be an important determinant and consequence of cigarette smoking by children. Two thousand children will complete a questionnarie when they are in the ninth grade, and they will complete the questionnaire again one year later. Analyses will be directed toward determining if the utility structure influences subsequent behavior with cigarettes, the utility structure varies in response to cigarette smoking, some components of the utility structure are more important determinants of behavior than others, and if the utility structure explains the relationships between selected antecedent variables and cigarette behavior. The findings will be considered in terms of implications for research, programs, and policies related to cigarette smoking by children.